By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
It’s historically extraordinarily difficult to win a competition three times in a row, and Hereda San Pablo Burgos couldn’t find enough drive to make a strong run this season in the Basketball Champions League. Darussafaka sealed their fate in the Play-Ins with an 80-68 road win in Game 3.
Although Burgos got Game 1, the Turkish team was just better in the following two games, leading in both by a convincing margin. The back-to-back champions managed to bounce back from down 14 (58-44), and even take the lead (66-64), but Gabriel Olaseni hit a timely three to spark a mini 5-0 run.
Isaiah Pineiro was the one to deliver the 2+1 dagger at the three-minute mark while Olaseni followed up with a hook shot which left no doubt about the victor of the duel.
Troy Caupain was the leading scorer for the winning team with 19 points (nine assists) while Dogus Özdemiroglu scored 14 and Nathan Boothe 13 points (11 rebounds). Olaseni had 14 and Pineiro ten points.
For Burgos, Dani Diez scored 13 in addition to Marc Garcia and Dejan Kravic’s ten points each.
Darussafaka advanced to the Round of 16 and will be the last entry to the Group J lineup together with BAXI Manresa, Tofas Bursa, and Nutribullet Treviso.
Photo Credit: Basketball Champions League